very strange live spread limit hand

[slik]

So the game is 2-3-5 spread limit with blinds of $2 on button, $3 for sb, and $5 for bb. It is $10 to call preflop (with a max raise amount of 200). I am posting in this forum because I think this is basically a limit hand from the flop on.

So I'm kind of bored and want to start building pots up and after about 5 mins of convincing, I get the table to agree to a round of straddles ($20 straddle). So in this hand, I'm in the cutoff. EP player calls. MP player calls. I call in the cutoff with A [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 8 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]. Button calls. SB calls. Straddler raises 105 more to $125. EP calls. MP folds. I call. Button folds. SB calls. Straddlers raising range is rather loose but not absurdly so AJo, ATo, KQo etc are in his range, and he plays predictably postflop. I make a loose call and announce: "I started this mess and one way or another I'm gonna finish this mess". I know preflop is bad but I felt obliged to call given all the convincing I had to do to create this gambling situation [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img].

Stacks: SB has 2K, Straddler 1K, EP 500, me 1K.

Notes about players: SB is the gambling type preflop, but plays very well postflop. Straddler is a gambler that overvalues hands but plays straightfwdly postflop. EP is TAG.

Flop is a promising: K [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]9 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]8 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] ($545 in pot)

Sb checks. Straddler checks. EP quickly bets 200 (leaving him with 300 left). After 20 seconds of thinking, I put him on a K and decide to call, thinking that my hand needs to improve to win, and I want to encourage other callers. SB calls. Straddler folds.

Turn: 9 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] ($1145 in pot).

The action is checked to me, and I am confused on what to do. I decide to check??

River: K [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

SB checks after stalling for a long time and staring at the board while shuffling his chips. I am staring at him during his action which I am sure he notices in his periphery. EP checks relatively quickly (and weakly). I bet out $200 after 2 seconds of pretending to think. SB c/r to $400. EP folds. And it's back to me. I tank and the clock is called by a player not in the hand after just 3 mins. In the last seconds of the countdown I call??

I don't like the way I played this hand on most streets. Trying to see what actions would have been better postflop. Thanks.